So here we are at the final hurdle, and even a slew of breakfast margaritas are not breaking through the very British weather y. We have sunshine, then showers, then sunshine, then thunder and lightning with a touch of hail – you know that song “four seasons in one day”? Well, that was Lincoln showground on the final day of the festival.

It’s still sunny when relative newcomers Waking The Angels change their name cheekly to Waking The Festival. Melodic NWOBHM played by stalwart veterans of the scene is just the way to get today’s party started, and the addition of cheerleaders throwing glittery pompoms gives the whole thing a jolly feel. 

They are followed by Kit Trigg, a rather splendid bluesy purveyor of classic rock with some nice singalong-able choruses. Nothing outstanding, but nothing bad either. They have a laid back feel to them that is perfect for a Sunday lunchtime.

Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids is here with his full band and his upbeat, perky americana-styled rock. Toes get tapped and heads nod along, and it’s all very entertaining. There is a luscious depth to their sound that feels distinctly widescreen, like the soundtrack to some ancient road movie. 

The start to the Takeaway Thieves set is delayed due to technical issues which probably had a lot to do with the stage and sound desk both being totally drenched. When they do eventually get going they give their usual groovy, slightly sleazy performance. It’s good-time happy stuff that gets everyone up and dancing. Old favourites are aired, along with a couple of new songs that will be on the upcoming next album. They finish with their now-standard ‘This Is Rock & Roll’ and yet again I muse that it truly is. Standing in a field, jigging to high-energy music, the sun finally trying to chase away the damp weather? Yep, this is rock and roll alright. 

Luna Marble is also blues, but with energy and a bit of fizz. Rather than follow the crowd they have taken a more energised approach to this decades old style. The main ingredient to their fresh slant on an old standard is fun. They all seem like they are having a ball and that latent air of enjoyment is infectious.

Tom Killner, is yet more blues, but proper country blues. Yeehaw. The rain had stopped and the crowd was eager to throw off their plastic coverings and dance, so go down particularly well. Even the most anti-social attendee grudgingly waves an imaginary lasso every now and again. In time to the music of course!

Molly Karloff are a lot more earthy, they give us riffy classic rock. It’s retro-style heavy music, you could lift them out of the Trailblazer tent and plonk them down in 1975 and, aside from the modern clothing, nobody would notice. This isn’t a bad thing, they do what they do very well and prove to be insanely good musicians.

Sons Of Liberty take us down to the deep south, they do Southern Rock in the style of Blackfoot or even Skynyrd in places. It’s all pork and beans, desert cacti and dusty boots but they do it with a smile and give the impression that their tongues are loosely in their cheeks at all times. It’s music where you can switch off your brain and just bop along to, and that’s exactly what is needed after all the metrological calamities. 

Daxx & Roxanne bring back a bit more energy, they are full of bounce and high spirits. Indeed, on at least one occasion the guitarist hurdles over the bassist/singer. The sound is classic rock, again no barriers get broken but they obviously love what they do and we love them for doing it.

These Wicked Rivers still have a stage set like a wild west bordello, and still peddle their own style of paisley, 70s-inspired laid-back bluesy rock. The beards are strong in this band, as are the keyboards. It all melds together into a very enjoyable sound and a very enjoyable if slightly more low-key set.

The Hot Damn bounce onto the stage like a bunch of brightly-coloured puppets, grinning and spinning to bring us their own brand of frothy pop-rock. The tempo is fast, the mood is cheerful and they romp through the set like a bunch of over-excited puppies. There are sparklers, there are confetti cannons, there are beach balls. It’s a friendly vibe, it’s effervescent and it draws you in and makes you feel like part of the party. It’s feelgood music, it’s happy, it’s bright and beautiful. There is joy in the air alongside the paper streamers, they’re that kind of band. Standouts were what has almost become their theme song, ‘Live, Laugh, Love’, and the very silly ‘Merch Song’ which never gets any less funny no matter how many times you hear it.

 They throw in a bit of disco with Donna Summer’s ‘Hot Stuff’ and finish on a high with ‘I didn’t love you anyway’. The perfect antidote to a soggy festival, their sheer exuberance means that you are guaranteed a good time whenever these girls play. There’s a new album due in September, but until them if you can spend a little time in their company and bask in the glow of happiness they give off I strongly urge you to do so!

So finally the sky has cleared, the lights are dimming and it’s time for the final band of the weekend. Call Of The Wild’s motto seems to be Go Big Or Go Home, and thus they have saved the best for last. The mighty Tyketto – do they really need an introduction? Over 30 years now of Danny Vaughn and his travelling band releasing albums, playing shows, and just exuding sheer class all the while. That’s the thing about them compared to last night’s headliners – Lost Society played an absolute blinder but part of that was because of the lights, backing tracks and pyro. Tonight there is none of that, Tyketto are here for the music and that is their strength. 

The songs are achingly familiar yet still retain a vitality, a freshness, that you really don’t expect. New boy guitarist Harry Scott-Elliot is settling nicely now, and every now and then burst into a quick enthusiastic shred just because he can. The star of the show however is always Danny. A humble, unassuming man off the stage he turns into a giant flaming star once he’s on it. Voice of an angel, bit of dad-dancing, occasional bits of guitar, this is very obviously his band, his show but that’s OK. The goods are delivered every time, bang on time. Musically they dance up and down the entire back catalogue, calling in at all the standards on the way. ‘Lay Your Body Down’, ‘Wings’, ‘The Run’, ‘Reach’ all make an appearance and are all performed flawlessly. 

There are few bands around who genuinely match their recorded sound note for note when playing live, but Tyketto are one of them. The vocal harmonies are spot-on, the arrangements are spot-on, the whole thing is flawless in its execution. We dance, we sing back the choruses, we join in. Tyketto might not be the heaviest metal band, in fact they are far from it, but their mix of riff and ballad gives light and shade and pulls the whole crowd in. They end, of course, with That Song. ‘Forever Young’ is forever in our hearts, as are the band performing it.

Some things never change, and Tyketto  are one of them. While it’s nice to find new bands (Hello Dobermann and Harsh!) it’s also nice to sometimes just wallow in nostalgia and let the memories wash over you. Thankfully Call Of The Wild manages to combine both old and new, and gives us a range of genres so that there is something for everyone. Next year’s festival will take place between 29th May and 1st June, and tickets are on sale now. Will you be there? We’ll see you down the front!

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Call Of The Wild Galleries 2024